Leopard or Sulcata
- Thread starter Bjangle8
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Have you taken the "sulcata challenge"? Sulcatas grow quickly into destructive giants. I love them like crazy, but you have to be ready for that. If you don't have a stable home with big yard that can handle digging, grazing, and ramming from a big tort, then DON't get a sullie...
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Well, if you keep an eye on the fence area, you'll know if it starts digging. Unless you have super soft soil, it would take a while for a grown tort to dig under most fences. You can help reduce the risk by providing a pre-dug hides\den in a safe area, a nice dark tort shed (warm in the cool months, cool in the hot months), etc so it does not feel the need to start a new hole...
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Probably better than mine! I live near Seattle and 3 sulcatas who seem to be doing just fine...
Well if you have the land size, why not just do both?
I love my pretty rocks...I mean Leopards 
, but even tho one of them is super friendly, I would have to say if you want out going and friendly your best bet is the sulcata over the leopard. It comes down to individual animal's personalities, but it seems to me almost every sulcata I have met, has had more personality then the leopards I know.
, but even tho one of them is super friendly, I would have to say if you want out going and friendly your best bet is the sulcata over the leopard. It comes down to individual animal's personalities, but it seems to me almost every sulcata I have met, has had more personality then the leopards I know.
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Maggie Cummings
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I have always believed if the tort is happy where he lives he won't try to escape. Bob has never tried to dig out...he used to try to climb over his walls or knock over the cinder block but I increased his area and he has stopped trying to escape...
150 acres. Now that is an adequately sized tort enclosure!!! Now your speaking my language. My sulcatas almost never dig. 3 times in 12 years they've started a hole, but I just fill it in when they go to bed and they never try that spot again. My pen is about 6000 square feet and wraps around a building. There were three shade trees in it, but now I'm down to two. I've seen unusually shy sulcatas and unusually outgoing leopards, but in general sullies are far more personable and social with people.
Your area should be great for them most of the year, but Bert Langerwerf sent me pics of his tegu enclosures under snow after a blizzard in Alabama. You'll have to make a pretty big, insulated, heated den box to weather a snow storm with tropical torts.
Of course its a matter of preference, but I love the sullies.
You might want to look into the SOUTH AFRICAN leopards, Geochelone pardalis pardalis. They get bigger, are darker and tolerate the cold much better.
Your area should be great for them most of the year, but Bert Langerwerf sent me pics of his tegu enclosures under snow after a blizzard in Alabama. You'll have to make a pretty big, insulated, heated den box to weather a snow storm with tropical torts.
Of course its a matter of preference, but I love the sullies.
You might want to look into the SOUTH AFRICAN leopards, Geochelone pardalis pardalis. They get bigger, are darker and tolerate the cold much better.
Thanks for the input everyone. Y'all are making me lean more and more towards sulcata. I plan on getting both eventually though. The problem with having so much land is that it would cost a fortune to put sulcata proof fencing all the way around lol. I keep cows on a few of the pastures at all times. In the summer I cut and bale hay on it. I
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Bjangle8 said:
If you start with a rescue sulcata of 5-10lbs, you could probably start with a simple pen that is about 20X20. Then each year you could expand.
There is another thread somewhere about building materials. I like the slumpstone or cinderblocks. Easy to move and re-configure. Easy to expand. You only need two high for smaller torts and I can't foresee ever needing more than three high.
I think Roachman's sullies are not full-grown yet...
Bjangle, are there any reptile rescues in your area? It seems that new tort keepers often have better luck with Sulcata if they are at least a year old when acquired. Hatchlings are fragile and vulnerable to illness.
And I just re-read your first post, so I may be wrong about you being a "new" Sulcata keeper. If so, sorry!
Bjangle, are there any reptile rescues in your area? It seems that new tort keepers often have better luck with Sulcata if they are at least a year old when acquired. Hatchlings are fragile and vulnerable to illness.
And I just re-read your first post, so I may be wrong about you being a "new" Sulcata keeper. If so, sorry!
If you pound stakes down through the middle of the cinderblocks, they are a little more stable.
Chris Isom said:
I use two blocks for smaller torts and three when they get bigger. I use half blocks to start a row so that the bricks are staggered. I've got a pic posted somewhere of my enclosure. Planning on doing better ones soon. When they are staggered this way you can't just topple them over as they are all tied in to each other. My biggest tort is 40 lbs. and they've never attempted to knock them over. This method also makes a good visual barrier so they don't even try to get out. I've got 4' sections of rebar ready to go, but I've never needed it.
I aslo noticed that Bob's ( you know the finest example of a sullie, ever ) enclosure is made from three high cinder blocks. Maggie doesn't seem to have most of hers staggered, but I did see some rebar in the ground through the center of the blocks, if I'm not mistaken. If it will hold Bob, it will hold anything.
Stephanie Logan said:I think Roachman's sullies are not full-grown yet...
Bjangle, are there any reptile rescues in your area? It seems that new tort keepers often have better luck with Sulcata if they are at least a year old when acquired. Hatchlings are fragile and vulnerable to illness.
And I just re-read your first post, so I may be wrong about you being a "new" Sulcata keeper. If so, sorry!
Well, I am new to sulcata. But I've been keeping redfoots and russians for a few years now.
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